Wise use of time

We are back in the rhythm of the school year, and it is very strange. This three-hour kindergarten is going to kill me. Here's a typical Friday: Drop off Zach at 8:00 am. Drop off Luke at 8:15 am. Volunteer in Luke's classroom from 8:15 to 9:00 am. Volunteer in Zach's classroom from 9:00 to 10:00 am. Dash home and check email. Return to school to pick up Zach at 11:20. Return to school to pick up Luke at 2:05. Spend the rest of the afternoon preventing the two of them from fighting and/or nagging about homework as necessary.

Did you see "blogging" mentioned anywhere in there? Nope. Did you see "reading the newspaper" or "lunch with a friend" or "research for future interesting projects" in there? Nope, nope, and nope. (In the background, the gym is weeping because I didn't even bother to mention it.)

The good news is, it looks like we have finally found regular childcare for Tues/Thurs, which is great, and a huge relief for Dave, but those M/W/F are still going to turn my hair gray very soon. Even more of a bummer is that we have to give up our electric car in two days, so I'm going to have to use a gas-powered car (!) to drive back and forth to school four times a day.

On the flip side, weekends are an interesting story because we decided not to get involved with soccer for either boy this fall. So Saturdays and Sundays are suddenly open for all sorts of fun things. And of all the things we could be doing, we've been...entering food competitions.

Last weekend I entered the KCRW/LACMA pie contest with my raspberry/lavender pie, and Luke (surprisingly) volunteered to accompany me for the day. We stood in the heat and served up pie all afternoon long, which was alternately grueling and rewarding. The pie was unbelievably delicious, and people kept coming back for more, so I was sure I would win something. When they announced the winners and my name wasn't in there, I was momentarily crushed. But then Luke told me, "It doesn't really matter, Mom - I had a great time anyway." And honestly - hearing that totally turned my mood around.

Yesterday Tillamook cheese invited us to the L.A. Zoo for a special blogger event, where they had a grilled cheese competition. Basically, they had a bunch of different breads and cheese lined up, and that was followed by the biggest smorgasbord you've ever seen of different foods and toppings to add to a grilled cheese sandwich. Then they had two chefs standing ready to give your creation the professional grilling treatment.

Luke and I decided to make a "Fourth of July Firework Grilled Cheese," for which we arranged bacon and red onions in a star pattern over the cheese. Then on the outside of the bread, we made another star pattern in mustard, so that it grilled up with a big asterisk on the outside. The judges reacted with a combination of amusement and curiosity.

But then they announced the winners, and for Most Creative...it was us!!! Luke and Zach and I went up to accept our prize (an enormous cheese-related gift basket) while the papparazzi snapped photos of us.

Yes, it was over 100 degrees. And yes, bees were swarming everywhere. But Luke once again declared that he had had a great time. So we might have a new "thing" going on this fall. Top Chef, here we come!